Lancashire BBC Award Winners Announced
The winners of the BBC Radio Lancashire Make a Difference Awards 2022 have been announced.
Among them are a woman from Blackpool who fostered for over 50 years, a water safety campaigner from Chorley and a school from Blackburn which champions inclusivity.
The idea of the BBC Radio Lancashire Make a Difference Awards is to recognise unsung heroes from across the county, reflecting everything from good neighbours to voluntary work.
Hundreds of entries were whittled down to 32 finalists and the eight winners were announced at the annual ceremony, which this year took place on Saturday 3rd December at Lancaster Town Hall.
BBC Radio Lancashire’s Breakfast show presenter, Graham Liver, hosted the awards.
Speaking at the event, Graham said: “Each year, I am in awe of the fantastic work carried out by our finalists.
“Each of them are simply amazing in their own way and I’m so pleased that BBC Radio Lancashire has been able to shine a light on their hard work and give them some of the recognition they deserve”.
Chris Burns, Head of Audio and Digital for BBC England said: “We are delighted to announce the winners of these wonderful awards, which celebrate those individuals who have gone above and beyond, what most of us expect from people.
“In a world where the news can often be quite bleak, it is a way of showing off the best of people.”
The winners are:
The Volunteer Award – Rebecca Ramsay (Chorley)Rebecca’s son Dylan drowned while swimming in a quarry in 2011. Since then, she has devoted her life to being a water safety campaigner.
The Community Group Award – Pendle Food For All (Pendle)Pendle Food For All is a food club which supports hundreds of people in East Lancashire every week by providing cheap food which would otherwise have gone to waste.
The Fundraiser Award – Sarah Bernasconi-Parsons (Blackburn)Sarah’s daughter Maggie was stillborn in 2015. Since then, she has raised over £60,000 to support other families affected by stillbirth.
The Carer Award – Christine Mills (Blackpool)Before she sadly died in October 2022, Christine fostered and adopted children – often those with life-limiting conditions – for over 50 years. She made sure every child in her care had a stable, loving home.
The Great Neighbour Award – Tony Bentham (Ribble Valley)Tony is a postie who looks after his local community by going out of his way to visit isolated residents – often in his own time – to check on them.
The Key Worker Award – Brenda Entwistle (West Lancashire)Brenda has been the lollipop lady at her local school for over 50 years. She is an important part of her community, checking on the welfare of children and parents alike.
The Environmental Award – Muhammad Abdulrashid (Blackburn)10-year-old Muhammad spends his spare time educating drivers on the dangers of engine idling, litter picking and ensuring his neighbourhood is clean and tidy.
The Together Award – Blackburn Central High School (Blackburn)Blackburn Central High School is diverse in every sense. Pupils from all backgrounds are welcomed with open arms and are taught about the ever-changing nature of society.
To find out more about the awards visit: bbc.co.uk/makeadifference